Testimone d'accusa

I suppose it's a question of taste, and some people may find the BBC adaptations more realistic than the ITV Poirot & Marple adaptations, but I'm afraid both this and last year's "And Then There Were None" just leave me thoroughly depressed.

While both have been well-acted and well-directed, there seems to be an insistence on making things as bleak, miserable and depressing as follows, from the coughing-fit sex scene to the muted colours with no really likable characters at all.

Perhaps it is wrong to expect stories of murder to be fun. And maybe shows like "Midsomer Murders" cater for the likes of me.

I just find it irritating that in order to gain critical respectability, the BBC feels a need to pour a thick layer of dismal over their Christie adaptations. As excellent an actor as Toby Jones is, I found myself longing for Charles Laughton's bombast and energy.

And yes, I must admit, I miss the flashy, cartoony ITV Marple series. What a shame the BBC now has the rights to those stories too.

Good movie, even better than another old one of the same name. Of course, any Agatha Christie film will make the viewer walk side by side with the investigator for some crime that will occur. And this little jewel is no different. Arches of the well-built characters, villains shifting positions with good guys, beautiful environments and frames. Anyway, all the instruments needed for good fun. Enjoy!!

Tightly written and beautifully directed, a complex mystery, with enjoyable twists throughout. Artfully expanding on the original short story, but don't read it ahead of time! Ignore the negative comments and enjoy a very classy movie-length period mystery. Wonderful, distinctive and nuanced performances by the cast as well, especially Toby Jones and Andrea Riseborough, with Julian Jarrold's meticulous direction.

This is one of those productions that combine really interesting characters within a story that has enough twists and turns to hold your interest, despite its rather tenuous link to real life events. What really drives this show along are the period details, the 'mood' and feel of the thing, and the solid acting by almost everyone involved. I felt 'Leonard' was the least effective character and the actor wasn't that convincing either. But Toby Jones and Ms Riseborough were too-notch in their performances. The pace was slow, filled with tension and showed how the various stratas of society dealt with the aftermath of a devastating war. The psychological damage was the most obvious, resulting in murder and an almost carefree attitude about the whole process and planning of it. This is a short story that is probably one of Ms. Christie's most damning condemnations of war and although adapted by Sarah Phelps, has definitely stayed true to the original intent. It's not light entertainment but worth watching, despite the fact that the lighting was just a bit too obvious in trying to create a certain 'atmosphere'.

The Charles Laughton/Tyrone Powers/Marlene Dietrich/Billy Wilder 1957 film of "Witness for the Prosecution" has been one of my favorite films since I was in high school. So, watching this Toby Jones version--that follows Agatha Christie's original short story--comes as quite a surprise. Mostly the same characters, but with a decidedly different take on the story of love & guilt. The two "Witness" films are like watching the Kurosawa film "Rashomon"--the guilt lands on different characters.

That said, and because I'm a student of film, I liked the Toby Jones version, too; and don't feel like it's inferior to the Billy Wilder film. The photography and set designs are all shadows, fog and smoke; just the right mood for a story that is does not reveal itself and fools the eyes. The acting is all excellent, which is in keeping with all British productions. And, the pacing of the narrative is accomplished with no tech or CGI--which is refreshing in this age of SuperHero films.

Bottom line: if approached without bias, this film of Agatha Christie's "first draft" of Witness for the Prosecution is rewarding on it's on merits.